Device for crating paintings and the like



H. W. MOYER E'IAL DEVICE FOR CRA'IING PAINTINGS AND THE LIKE Filed March 28, 1958 July 21,v 1959 nnnnnnn United States Patent O DEVICE FOR CRATING PAINTINGS AND THE LIKE Harold W. Moyer, Laurys Station, and Leon A. Marsh,

This invention relates generally to the packing and crating art, and more particularly to an improved multicellular device adapted for the packing of fragile planar articles, such as oil paintings and similar works of art. Cellular packing devices are generally known in the art, and the invention lies in specific constructional improvements therein.

The problem of packing framed paintings in groups comprising a traveling art display is somewhat unique. The paintings, during the course of a single tour, must be readily packed and unpacked many times and during the packing operation, care must be taken to assure that no binding or confining structure contact the face of the painting, but only the wooden frame thereof. Care must also be taken to maintain the paintings in spaced relationship with respect to each other and to prevent any sliding movement within the packing which might permit the rubbing or scratching of the painted surface. In addition, it is desirable that the packing be reusable, at least during the course of a single tour, as well as reasonably light in weight to assure reasonable shipping costs.

It is therefore among the principal objects ofthe present invention to provide an improved device for crating paintings which will provide the above mentioned advantages at a reasonable cost of manufacture, thus per mitting consequent wide sale, distribution and use.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of improved crating construction which may be readily adjusted for enclosing large or small paintings without waste of crating space.

A further object of the invention lies in the provision of an improved device for crating paintings which may be comprised of a plurality of individual cells or units which are readily assembled to make a large crate of overall size sufficient to contain `a desired number of paintings, and which may be increased or decreased with regard to the number of cells in the crate without dif-v culty.

Still another object of the invention lies in the provision of a packing case particularly adapted for the shipment of paintings which may be assembled or disassembled by those possessed of only ordinary skill, and using simple tools.

A feature of the invention lies in the fact that the device employs no nails, screws or bolts in the securing of the paintings within the crate, thereby eliminating substantially all possibility of accidental damage to the delicate canvas upon which the pigments of the painting are disposed.

Another feature of the invention lies in the fact that the device may be manufactured in several sizes, that is to say with a plurality of uniform cells of different overall dimension, so that a size of device capable of enclosing the largest painting in a group may be selected and the overall size of the crate maintained at an absolute minimum.

These objects and features, as well as other incidental "ice ends and advantages, will become more clearly apparent during the course of the following disclosure, and be pointed out in the appended claims.

On the drawing, to which reference will be made in the specification, similar reference characters have been employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of an embodiment of the invention, the device being shown in fully assembled condition in this view.

Figure 2 is an exploded view in perspective of the embodiment.

Figure 3 isv a longitudinal central vertical sectional view as seen from the plane 3-3 on Figure l.

Figure 4 is a plan view of an individual cell comprising the embodiment showing a single relatively large painting supported therein.

Figure 5 is a similar plan view showing a single cell employed in the supporting of two smaller paintings therein.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view in perspective showing one of the retaining straps in disengaged condition with respect to an individual cell.

In accordance with the invention, the device, generally indicated by reference character 10, comprises broadly: a top cover or lid element 11, a plurality of framed cell elements 12, a bottom cover element 13, strap means 14 and cell interconnecting means 15.

The top cover or lid element 11 is preferably of wood construction, and includes an upper wall member 17 and four side wall members 18, the lower surfaces of which form a continuous groove 19. Extending through the top wall member 17 are a plurality of bores 2@ disposed at the corners thereof, beneath which are positioned metallic corner gussets 21. The gussets are generally similar, and include an opening 22 to permit the passage modate the total number of paintings being crated within a single device 10. Each of the cell elements 12 includes a plurality of side wall members 25 defining a rectangular space 26. The upper surfaces 27 of the side wall members 25 are provided with tongue means 28 engageable within the groove 19 of the top cover or lid element 11.

The lower surface 29 is provided with a groove 30 substantally yduplicating the groove 19. A horizontally disposed groove 31 continues about the inner surfaces of the side wall members 25 and supports a perforated planar board 32 therein. The board 32 is provided with cut ofI corner portions 33 to permit passage of the cell interconnecting means 15 and has extending therethrough at substantially uniform intervals a large plurality of smaller holes 34. The board 32 is preferably formed from material commercially available with the evenly spaced holes already disposed therein, such material being sold at the present time under the trademark Masonite The strap means 14 may be formed of webbing or leather, and includes a plurality of pairs of strap members 38 and hook members 39. The strap members 38 each include a first or loop end 40 engageable with the hook members 39 and a second end having means for engaging the mate of the pair, as for example a simple buckle 41. The hook members 39 are preferably formed from wire rod and include l'hook portions 45 which are spaced a distance 'substantially equal *to 'the distance -be tween adjacent holes 34 in'fthe board 32. As best seen on Figure 2, the hook members 39 are engageable within the holes 34 in selective "fashion fso yas to Lborder the frame of an `individual painting I100 andprevenhplanar movement of the same 'after engagement o'f `the Istrap members 38-thereabout.

The bottom cover element 13 is substantially'sim'ilar i 'in construction to the rtop coverelement fr11. It includes a plurality of side wall members 51, and a bottom wall member 52. The upper surfaces 53 Yof the side wall 'members 51 are provided 'with a tongue 54, and `the continuous groove 55 resembles the groove 31 lof a-cell r-element 12. The planar 'board -56 is fgenerallysimilar to the board 32 as are the cut off corner portions *57. The Acorner rgussets L58 aref-provided with threaded nut means 59 preferably-soldered thereto.

The cell linterconnecting `means l15 'comprises la plurality of elongated bolts 61 of varying lengths which are engageable with the gussets '21 and '58, the exact llength of bolt selected depending upon `the `number of lcell elements 12 being employed in a'particular device 10. In assembling a complete device, it is preferable lto select a rectangular size of elements 11, '12 and 13 which correspond to the largestsize'picture 4`V100 Lbeing packed. The smaller pictures may then vbe assembled two or more at a time within individual cell elements s that space wasted in the individual elements is ymaintained at a minimum. Each of the paintings may be 'secured in the manner shown on -Figures '4 and 5 'prior to assembly of the elements 11 to 13, and when disassembling the same at an individual destination, 4it is possible to leave the individual paintings engaged'within the cell elements 12 until such time as the paintingis hung, thereby alfording a maximum of protection ydur- 4ing the unpacking operation. At the completion lof an individual showing, the individual paintings may then 'be repacked within cell elements 12 to be reassembled for further shipment. Should oneof the'cell elements 12 become damaged, it is possible to eliminate the same -from the device and permit the remaining elements to be shipped, it being necessary only tol substitute a plurality of bolts 61 .of shorter length -to -accommodate for the elimination of one of the elements 12.

It may thus be seen that we Vhave provided novel and highly useful improvements in a device -for crating paintings, in which substantially all of the packing lproblems vheretofore encountered in the handling vof relatively fragile and valuable artwork have been eliminated. The device may be assembled from a plurality of components normally kept in stock, and should damage occur to any of the elements, it is not necessary to discard the Ientire device, but merely to substitute a new Vsimilar element in the reassembly of the same.

By using materials readily commercially available, the ostlof fabrication may be -maintained at a'a'easonable eve We wish it to be understood that we do not consider rthe -invention limited 1o `the exact 'details of structure shown and set forth in this specilication, for obvious modifications will occur to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

We claim:

1. A device for crating paintings and the like comprising: a frame including a plurality of walls in interconnected relation -to define .a :substantially rectangular space, a planar board member 'having a plurality of uniforrnly spaced openings :therein-engaged with said frame and between said walls, -and `at least one pair of interconnectable strap means having ,detachable clip means thereon for selectively engaging vsaid openings `in said board member, whereby 4a '.paintinggmay be supported in strapped relation within said space and upon said board.

2. A device for crating paintings and the like comvprising: a plurality of frames, each including a plurality Vof walls in interconnected-relation 4to define a substantially rectangularspace, la planar board `member having a plurality of uniformly spaced openings therein engaged with `said vframe and between said walls, and yat least one pair of interconnectable strap means having detachable lclip means `thereon yfor selectively engaging said openings in said board member, whereby a painting may be vsupported in strapped relation within saidspace 'and upon said board; 'andmeans for detachably interconnecting saidframes in stacked relation.

. 3. A 'device for cratirrg'paintings and the like comfprising: aplurality of frames, each'including a plurality 'of `walls lin interconnected relation to deline Va substantially rectangular space, 'a Yplanar board member having a plurality of uniformly 'spaced openings therein enjgaged with 'said frameand -between said walls, and at least one pair of interconnectable strap'means having de- 'tachableclip means thereon for'selectively 'engaging said openings in said board member, 'whereby a painting may besupported in strappedrelationwithin said space fand upon 'said board; `and nut and bolt means passing through similar portions of each of said frame elements for interconnecting the same in stacked relation.

l4. A device for crating paintings and `the like comprising: a-plurality of Vframes, each including a plurality of walls in interconnected relation to 'define a substantially rectangular space, 'a planar board member having Aajjplurality of uniformly Aspaced openings therein engaged with 'said frame-andbetween 'said walls, and at least one pair of interconnectable strap means having detachable clip means thereon for selectively engaging said vopenings -n said 'board member, whereby a painting may be supported in strapped relation within said space and upon 'said board; nut and bolt means passing through similar'portions of leach of said frame elements for interconnecting the same in stacked relation, and means for covering the rectangular space formed by the frame elements disposed 'at the ends o'fa stack of frames.

No references cited. 

